Stuttgart. It is the archetypal sports car for everyday driving, and a style icon that is unmistakable as both the face and heart of the Porsche brand: the 911. In Zuffenhausen today, the one-millionth model rolled off the production line – a Carrera S in the special colour “Irish Green”, with numerous exclusive features following the original 911 from 1963. The two-door car remains the most strategically important model in the product range and makes a huge contribution to maintaining Porsche’s position as one of the most profitable car manufacturers in the world.
Dr Wolfgang Porsche, Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Porsche AG, has been a part of the development of the 911 since day one: “54 years ago, I was able to take my first trips over the Grossglockner High Alpine Road with my father. The feeling of being in a 911 is just as enjoyable now as it was then. That’s because the 911 has ensured that the core values of our brand are as visionary today as they were in the first Porsche 356/1 from 1948”.
The Porsche 911 established a new category and remains at the pinnacle of the premium sports car segment. In 2016 alone, 32,365 vehicles were delivered worldwide. Nevertheless, it has maintained its exclusivity over the decades and has become a coveted collector’s item. The quality of the 911 is legendary. Over 70 per cent of all 911s ever built are still ready to drive today. In addition, it can consistently be found at the top of quality rankings such as the “Initial Quality Study” from the US market research institute J.D. Power.
Its mythology has been cultivated by countless motorsport successes. Designed for both the road and track, no other sports car embodies this recipe for success quite like the 911. Over half of Porsche’s 30,000 race wins can be credited to the iconic car. It thrills private motor sport enthusiasts around the world in numerous racing series.
Uniquely, Porsche has never strayed from the founding concept of the original 911. “But we have continued to enhance the technology of the 911, refining and perfecting the sports car”, says Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG, “that’s why it remains a state-of-the-art and technically innovative vehicle. We have also been able to expand the model line very successfully through derivates”.
One significant factor in this success is the production site at the headquarters in Zuffenhausen, where all 911s are manufactured. Today, all two-door cars – 911, 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman – and their various derivatives are handled on one assembly line thanks to a sophisticated production approach. The assembly workers are experts in up to 200 different tasks and, with their passion and knowledge, they ensure that each Porsche is delivered in the quality that is typical of the brand. Uwe Hück, Chair of the Group Works Council of Porsche, says: “I cannot imagine the success story of the 911 without our unique Porsche employees. Today, we have the one-millionth 911. The good thing about it is that our colleagues still make them with the same devotion as the first car. The construction of the Mission E at the Zuffenhausen site is ringing in a new era at Porsche. And it is clear that if we are to make it a success, we will need our highly qualified and motivated employees. They will make sure that the Mission E is an emotional experience just like our 911 has always been – and always will be”.
The one-millionth 911 is still being held by Porsche AG. Before it moves on to enrich the collection at the Porsche Museum, it will embark on a world tour and will take road trips in the Scottish Highlands and around the Nürburgring, and in the USA, China and beyond.
